Congress seeks Rajnath, PM’s replies over Malik’s Pulwama attack claims

New Delhi Days after former J&K governor Satyapal Malik made sensational claims related to the Pulwama terror attack, the Congress on Saturday demanded a response from Prime Minister Narendra Modi and defence minister Rajnath Singh, who was the Union home minister when a convoy of CRPF jawans came under attack on February 14, 2019, leaving 40 of them dead.

Congress leaders indicated that a number of Opposition parties will soon issue a joint statement on the latest claims by Malik.

Also Read | Baghel targets Modi govt over Satyapal Malik's claims on Pulwama attack

The BJP’s national information & technology department head Amit Malviya tweeted Malik’s old videos, including one in which the former governor described Rahul Gandhi as “political juvenile” and attacked the Congress leader on his Kashmir policy. In the video, Malik, then a governor, predicted that people will beat Congress leaders with their shoes. In another post, Malviya showed Malik describing the Modi government as the best bet for J&K.

Malik, who was governor of J&K in 2018-19, claimed Modi asked him to keep quiet on the Pulwama attack and the home ministry allegedly rejected a proposal to fly down the jawans instead of having them travel by road. Malik didn’t provide any material evidence to prove his allegations.

Paramilitary personnel are transported by road, and the incident triggered key changes in convoy movement protocols.

Also Read | Bulletproof vehicles, CCTV use: CRPF alters tactics 4 yrs after Pulwama attack

Referring to Malik’s allegations, Congress leader Pawan Khera said, “Satyapal Malik said when he told the PM that Pulwama attack happened due to our carelessness, Modi asked him to keep quiet” and “said it is something else”.

Khera also quoted Malik, who claimed that the PMO controls who all can meet the President of India after Malik’s appointment with President Droupadi Murmu was cancelled at the last moment.

“It is surprising. Our Excellency, the President, the President of all of us, whom she will meet, whom she will not meet, the list of her appointments, the list of daily appointments, goes to the Prime Minister’s Office for approval,” Khera said.

A senior official, however, refuted such claims about the Rashtrapati Bhavan and said, “If PMO indeed was controlling appointments, how did Malik get an appointment at the first place?”

Congress leader Supriya Shrinet demanded an answer on how 300kg of RDX came to a border state and why the jawans were not allowed to take planes. “There was so much intelligence input, there was a threat from Jaish, why were they taken from the road despite that and what is happening with this investigation?” she asked.

Demanding a response from the PM and Singh, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh said, “Those who consider themselves to be the guardians of truth are busy suppressing Satyapal Malik’s interview. But this will not be suppressed and the country is demanding an answer to the revelations that have been made.”

“These charges are serious as Malik has been the governor of 4 states. He is a senior leader and even today he is a member of the BJP. So it is realistic to ask this question to this government that what is the answer? What is your response? Nation wants to know,” he said.